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- Billie Jean. 168 votes. More Billie Jean. #65 of 76 on Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Originals. #23 of 86 on Music Fans Rerank Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs Of All Time.
- Rock With You. 116 votes. More Rock With You. #8 of 88 on The Best Michael Jackson Songs of All Time. #85 of 168 on The Best '80s Pop Songs, Ranked. #29 of 49 on The Best Songs with Rock in the Title.
- P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 139 votes.
- When Doves Cry. 195 votes.
Play all. Shuffle. №1 №100 and more. Based Billboard R&B chart 1980.
- New Edition
- The Gap Band
- Debarge
- Cameo
- Atlantic Starr
- Mary Jane Girls
- The Time
- Full Force/Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis/Babyface
- Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
- Kool & The Gang
When, in 1978, it set out to be a modern version of The Jackson 5, New Edition couldn’t have known the indelible mark it would leave on pop culture. The boy band from Boston with the bubblegum beats burst onto the scene with their 1983 single “Candy Girl,” and hits like “Count Me Out” and “Mr. Telephone Man” soon followed. The groups’s influence wa...
If Earth, Wind & Fire formed a biker band, the result would be The Gap Band. In the early 80s, the group produced a string of hits with merciless beats like “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Outstanding” and “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”. The leather cowboys’ backslap-hard funk impressed artists from Robert Palmer, who covered “Early in the Morn...
In 1980, an all-in-the-family group from Detroit caught the ear of Berry Gordy. Following the floundering release of The DeBarges in 1981, the group added more family members and lost a few letters in its name. It struck gold the second time around with All This Love (1982) producing the hits “I Like It” and “All This Love”. Led by singer El’s slee...
Cameo was one of the most eclectic R&B groups of the 80s. Its’ fundamental funk sound included elements of disco, pop and jazz. The video for “Shake Your Pants”(1980)–a celebration of outlandish outfits, serpentine dance moves, and a horn section that doubles as a choir–gives an idea of its phenomenal musicianship. By the time its’ first number-one...
Atlantic Starr’s band member roster reads like a frenzied game of musical chairs (it went through three lead female singersin the 80s alone). Yet, amidst all this chaos, it maintained a consistent vibe, delighting audiences with its polished harmonies, cloying lyrics and hygienic soul arrangements with just a touch of funk. The group won the hearts...
In the world of the Prince/Rick James rivalry, the question of “Who had the idea to create a girl group first?” still provides for lively debate. However, in addition to spawning more hits than Prince’s Vanity 6, the Mary Jane Girls were an innovative template for group composition. James’s vision to cast singers as characters (a ruffian, a model, ...
The litany of disputes between mad scientist Prince and his Frankenstein outfit The Time reads like a list of charges incurred by an extra on an episode of “Night Court”. The drama was surpassed only by the brilliance of its output. Driven by irresistible synth-funk beats and bass lines, and led by singer Morris Day’s colossal personality, the band...
I would be remiss in not mentioning the groups behind some of the biggest triumphs of the decade. New York’s Full Force is widely believed to have created new jack swing with its 1985 single “Alice, I Want You Just for Me!” The group also wrote and produced for artists like Samantha Fox, James Brown and Patti Labelle. Following their departure from...
A product of the Full Force hit factory, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam was one of the few R&B groups–that wasn’t a girl group–led by a woman. Singer Lisa Velez’s ability to shape shift from ingénue to vocal vixen lent an intriguing personality to the singular syncopation of the rhythm. The debut single from its’ 1985 self-titled album, “I Wonder If I Take Y...
Jersey City’s Kool & The Gang formed in 1964 as an instrumental funk jazz venture. The group first saw success in 1973 with the singles “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging” but its subsequent attempt to dabble in disco left fans and critics cold. It would take another four years, the addition of a lead singer, and the help of Brazilian producer...
- “When Doves Cry” – Prince & The Revolution. Released in 1984 as the lead single from the album “Purple Rain,” “When Doves Cry” by Prince & The Revolution is undoubtedly one of the greatest 80s R&B songs that continues to captivate listeners with its unique blend of funk, rock, and electronic elements.
- How Will I Know – Whitney Houston. “How Will I Know” by Whitney Houston is undoubtedly one of the greatest 80s R&B songs ever. The lyrics tell a story about someone trying to determine if their love interest feels the same way, which many can relate to.
- Give Me the Night – George Benson. “Give Me the Night” by George Benson is an iconic 80s R&B song that has stood the test of time. Released in 1980, it became a hit and remains a beloved classic.
- “(Sexual) Healing” – Marvin Gaye. “(Sexual) Healing” by Marvin Gaye is an iconic song that defined the era of 80s R&B. Released in 1982, this upbeat and sensual track was a massive hit, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B chart and becoming one of Gaye’s most successful singles.
- Steve Peake
- Freddie Jackson. One of the latest but most quintessential practitioners of the steamy, ballad-dominated subgenre known as Quiet Storm, Jackson was a regular chart-topper on the R&B charts during the latter half of the '80s.
- Rick James. Though undoubtedly an artist known most among modern audiences for his notoriety and appearance in comedic pop culture references, James was a powerhouse R&B figure throughout the '80s.
- Jeffrey Osborne. A perfect fit for the smooth sounds favored by '80s R&B and pop audiences, Osborne excelled as a significant artist for the entire decade of the '80s.
- Cameo. The funk-influenced R&B band Cameo may be best remembered for the codpieces worn by band members in the music videos for late-'80s hits "Word Up!"
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The 1980s were an eclectic decade for R&B. It set the groundwork for the dominance of hip hop to come; introduced New Jack Swing; and defined the careers of superstars like Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston. Here are my personal favorites ranked.
Jan 2, 2020 · 29.4K votes. 4.0K voters. 5 reranks. Still making some of the best R&B songs of 2018, the greatest voices in R&B music from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s are being counted down. All ranges of R&B are included--neo soul, new jack swing, blue eyed soul, contemporary, hip-hop/R&B, pop-soul, etc.
